August 20, Colombo (LNW): Parliament today (20) approved the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children (Amendment) Bill without a division, following several hours of debate on the proposed changes.
The Second Reading debate began at 11.30am and continued until 5.30pm before the legislation was passed, according to Parliament’s Department of Communication.
The amendment seeks to strengthen enforcement of the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act No. 47 of 1956 by substantially increasing the financial penalties imposed for offences under the law.
Under the proposed changes, the maximum fine for relevant offences will rise from Rs.10,000 to Rs.100,000.
The increase is intended to bring the penalties more in line with present-day conditions and reinforce legal safeguards governing the employment of women, young people and children.
With the Bill receiving parliamentary approval without a vote, the proposed amendments can now proceed to the next stage of the legislative process.